# Dude Perfect: Cory Cotton and Tyler Toney (2021)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-12-02
- Length: 1h 28m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-02-dude-perfect-cory-cotton-and-tyler-toney-2021

## Summary

Cory Cotton and Tyler Toney, co-founders of the entertainment brand Dude Perfect, recount how their college trick shots evolved into a massive media empire. They detail the grueling 'grind years' of balancing full-time jobs with weekly 4-hour drives to film, a period marked by physical burnout when Cory suffered Bell's palsy from stress. The duo explains their pivotal decision to quit their day jobs in 2014, secure early sponsorships with brands like GMC and Nerf, and professionalize their operation to build a multi-platform entertainment company.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-02-dude-perfect-cory-cotton-and-tyler-toney-2021#t=0) Introduction: Guy Raz and the Dude Perfect story
- [6:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-02-dude-perfect-cory-cotton-and-tyler-toney-2021#t=361) College origins: Texas A&M, faith, and backyard basketball
- [27:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-02-dude-perfect-cory-cotton-and-tyler-toney-2021#t=1628) First video: YouTube upload, Good Morning America, and the Kyle Field shot
- [47:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-02-dude-perfect-cory-cotton-and-tyler-toney-2021#t=2834) Going official: LLC formation, YouTube Partner Program, and the GMC airplane shot
- [1:00:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-02-dude-perfect-cory-cotton-and-tyler-toney-2021#t=3605) The grind years: Balancing day jobs, weekly drives, and Bell's palsy
- [1:12:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-02-dude-perfect-cory-cotton-and-tyler-toney-2021#t=4338) Going full-time: Quitting jobs, hiring editors, and securing the Nerf deal
- [1:23:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-12-02-dude-perfect-cory-cotton-and-tyler-toney-2021#t=5038) Scaling to a media empire: Live tours, movies, and brand evolution

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Dude Perfect (company)
- GMC (company)
- Nerf (company)
- Good Morning America (product)
- YouTube (product)
- iMovie (tool)
- Kyle Field (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 306: Dude…. perfect](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2021-05-07-episode-306-dude-perfect) (Making It)
- [170 - Wipes and Weenus Wednesday w/Sean Riley and AJ Peek](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-11-30-170-wipes-and-weenus-wednesday-w-sean-riley-and-aj-peek) (People of Packaging)
- [397: The Gift Curtain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2023-05-05-397-the-gift-curtain) (Making It)
- [Episode 336: Take the hug…](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2021-12-24-episode-336-take-the-hug) (Making It)
- [Episode 058: Important Forks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-02-12-episode-058-important-forks) (Making It)

## Citing this page

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